About the College

The Royal College of Psychiatrists is the professional medical
body responsible for supporting psychiatrists throughout their
careers, from training through to retirement, and in setting and
raising standards of psychiatry in the United Kingdom.

The College aims to improve the outcomes of people with mental
illness, and the mental health of individuals, their families and
communities. In order to achieve this, the College sets standards
and promotes excellence in psychiatry; leads, represents and
supports psychiatrists; improves the scientific understanding of
mental illness; works with and advocates for patients, carers and
their organisations. Nationally and internationally, the College
has a vital role in representing the expertise of the psychiatric
profession to governments and other agencies.

We are pleased to announce that we have now moved
into our new headquarters at 21
Prescot Street, London E1.

What the College is:

The Royal College of Psychiatrists is an independent
professional membership organisation and registered charity
representing over 15,000 psychiatrists in the UK and
Internationally. The core purposes of the Royal College of
Psychiatrists are to:

Set standards and promote excellence in psychiatry and mental
healthcare

Lead, represent and support psychiatrists

Work with patients, carers and other organisations
interested in delivering high quality mental health
services

What we do

The Royal College of Psychiatrists is the professional and
educational body for psychiatrists in the United Kingdom. We
aim to:

Set standards and promote excellence in psychiatry and mental
healthcare

The Royal College of Psychiatrists is committed to improving
the understanding of psychiatry and mental health. We want there to
be a greater understanding of the interaction between mental and
physical health and the social and cultural context in which people
live. We are at the forefront in setting and achieving the highest
standards through education, training and research. We lead the way
in developing excellence and promoting best practice in mental
health services. We promote research and publish the results in our
world-class psychiatric journals.

Lead, represent and support psychiatrists

The College actively promotes psychiatry as a career. College
structures are robust and provide dedicated support to our members
and associates. Nationally and internationally, the College has a
vital role in representing the expertise of the psychiatric
profession to governments and other agencies. This is key to
promoting best practice in mental health.

Work with patients, carers and their
organisations

We collaborate with key players in the mental health field and
are champions for improvements in the quality of mental healthcare
throughout all sectors of society. Public education is at the heart
of our activities and is an essential component of our
website.

The Royal College of Psychiatrists has been in existence in some
form since 1841. First as the "Association of Medical Officers of
Asylums and Hospitals for the Insane" (later changed to the Medico
Psychological Association) then, in 1926 receiving its Royal
Charter to become the "Royal Medico Psychological Association, and
finally, in 1971 receiving a Supplemental Charter to become the
"Royal College of Psychiatrists" we know today.